Zucchini and Yellow Squash Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan is perfect to welcome the arrival of fall, and this tasty soup is low-carb, Keto, low-glycemic, meatless, gluten-free, and South Beach Diet Phase One. Use the Recipes-by-Diet-Type Index to find more recipes like this one.

This delicious Pressure Cooker (or Stovetop) Zucchini and Yellow Squash Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan is a recipe that has a lot of sentimental value for me. I first made it in 2008 when Lisa of Homesick Texan sent me the link to this recipe on Epicurious.com and told me how delicious it was. And I was making soup back then because I had just gotten braces on my teeth!

Now flash forward six years and I'm still enjoying this Zucchini Soup with my nice straight teeth. Things have changed in six years though, and now I'm building up a collection of Pressure Cooker Recipes on the blog and I'd pull out my beloved Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker to make the soup more quickly. Not to worry though, if you don't have a pressure cooker you can easily make this soup on the stove. It's still zucchini and summer squash season for a few more weeks, and I think using those summer veggies in a soup is a perfect way to transition into fall (which arrives tomorrow, sob!)

Chop up an onion, finely chop the rosemary, and mince up a tablespoon of fresh garlic. (You can use dried or frozen rosemary if you don't have fresh, but be sure to chop it very small so you don't bite into a big piece of rosemary.)

Turn the pressure cooker to Saute (or medium-high heat for a stovetop pressure cooker or soup pot.) Add the olive oil and butter and heat until butter is melted and the pan is hot, then add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, long enough to get the onion/garlic/rosemary flavors into the stock.) Be sure to use the reduced amount of stock if you're using a pressure cooker. I kept the pressure cooker setting on Saute for this, but on the stove I'd reduce the heat to medium.

While the stock simmers, chop up the zucchini and yellow squash until you have about 8 cups of diced squash (or slightly less if your pressure cooker won't hold that much.)

In the pressure cooker, add the squash, lock the lid in place and turn to high pressure.

I've discovered it's nearly impossible to take a photo of those numbers displayed on the pressure cooker, but I cooked the squash 5 minutes at high pressure; then I used the quick release method to release the pressure.

On the stove add the squash and simmer over medium-low or low heat about 30 minutes, or until the squash is very soft and the flavors are well blended.

Here's how my squash looked after 5 minutes at high pressure.

Then I used my Immersion Blender to puree the soup. You could do this in a food processor or blender if you don't have an immersion blender, but be careful with the hot liquid.

Use the same process to puree the stovetop soup after it's cooked for about 30 minutes.

Then you'll need to simmer the soup to reduce it until it's as thick as you'd like, probably about 20 minutes on the stovetop or in the pressure cooker. (I simmered on Saute so it cooked down more quickly.) Here's how my soup looked after it has been reduced. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and serve hot, with plenty of freshly-grated Parmesan to add at the table.

Adapting recipe amounts to use the Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker:
I used 6 cups of stock and slightly less than 8 cups of diced squash to make this in my electric pressure cooker. All other ingredients are the same.

Heat olive oil and butter in large heavy soup pot or stovetop pressure cooker (or in the bottom of the electric pressure cooker on the Saute setting), then add onion and saute about 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and softened. Add garlic, rosemary, and Italian Herb Blend and cook 3-5 minutes more. While the onion, garlic, and rosemary are cooking, chop up enough zucchini and yellow squash to make 8 cups (or slightly less for the electric pressure cooker if you can't fit that much.)

Add the vegetable or chicken stock to onion mixture and simmer 10 minutes. (Use 6 cups stock for pressure cooker or 8 cups for stovetop. For the electric pressure cooker I kept the setting on Saute to simmer the stock.) Then add chopped zucchini and yellow squash. For stovetop cooking, turn heat to very low and simmer 30 minutes, or until squash is very soft and flavors are well blended. For electric or stovetop pressure cooker, lock the lid, bring to high pressure, and cook 5 minutes at high pressure. Use the quick-release method to release the pressure.

Use an Immersion Blender to puree the mixture, or work in batches and puree in food processor or blender. (Be careful if you're using the blender or food processor and don't fill them too full when blending hot liquids.) When mixture is as pureed as you'd like it, check the consistency of the soup. Simmer until the soup is reduced and as thick as you'd like it. (Simmer about 20 minutes on medium low on the stovetop or stovetop pressure cooker or about 20 minutes on Saute in the electric pressure cooker. This time may vary, depending on how thick you want it.) Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

Serve soup hot, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired.

Everything used here is a low-glycemic and low-carb ingredient, making this soup great for any low-glycemic or low-carb eating plan. I eliminated potatoes from the soup to make it low in carbs and better for the South Beach Diet. I did use a little butter here for flavor; if you're following South Beach you could replace the butter with more olive oil if you wish.

If you want nutritional information for a recipe, you can sign up for a free membership with Yummly and use the Yum button on my site to save the recipe and see the nutritional information. Another option is entering the recipe into this Recipe Nutrition Analyzer, which will calculate it for you.

More Dinners with Zucchini:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)

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27 comments:

I got my braces on five months ago (at 54, for basically the same reasons), and for the first few weeks it seemed like all I could eat was cream of wheat and mac n' cheese - even oatmeal was hard to chew! I was pretty cranky.

I got the most sympathy and encouragement from teen agers - most of them complete strangers. Within a few weeks, my mouth was no longer sore, and even "adjustments" don't hurt as much now.

So hang in there - you will be amazed at the difference it will make in our life!

I was looking for a salsa recipe, but plan to try the soup recipe tonight - this looks so good, even though we have had zukes in some form or other almost every day for the past month...

Anonymous, thanks for the encouragement (and I am older than 54!) I only have the top ones on now; my top teeth need to widen so the bottom ones can be straightened. I imagine it will be worse when I have both upper and lower braces, but I'm determined.

Hey Kalyn, Caught news of your blog in the Clipper while in town visiting my mom a couple of years ago(I live in Colorado). Nice going; my husband and I have loved every single recipe we've tried! I don't know whether you remember me from our lunch hours at BHS (weren't you the one who brought the electric frying pan so we could cook in the student council room? -- should've been a clue the word 'foodie' was in our futures) We're huge fans! (and we're having squash soup tonight!)BKL (BHS'66)P.S. I got braces for my 50th birthday -- it was one of the best things I EVER did, but I wondered for a couple of months whether I'd made a grave (e.g. painful) mistake . A Handy Household Hint: Ibuprofen is a "wonder drug" after those adjustments...

BKL, I'm definitely planning to stock up on Ibuprofen. So far it's been a good thing.

I'm not sure if that was me cooking in the electric frying pan. I don't remember it, but that was a long time ago. I graduated in 67, but don't have any of my old yearbooks any more. Love to know your name so I can see if I remember you. If you see this, send me an e-mail at kalynskitchen (at) comcast (dot) net. Glad to hear you are enjoying the blog!

Hi Kalyn,My question here has nothing to do with your post, but I couldn't find an email address for you. I was looking for a good recipe for beets and came to you first. I couldn't find a thing! Any tasty suggestions on the best way to prepare beets? My mother always pickled them and I love grilled beets and beet salad, but that is where my repertoire ends. Any help you can offer would be great.Brady

Congrats on thinking enough of yourself to put up with braces for a few months/years. That took getting over some fears and will take getting over some pain, but you'll get through it. All the best to you for a few soft-food weeks! Thanks for the great recipes.

BKL, I think I figured out who you are! Did you go by the initials BK in high school? If so, I always was a bit in awe of you and thought you were uber-hip! I Very fun figuring this out. I'm still not sure it was me cooking in the electric frying pan though, what were we making?

Jessica and Bert, thanks for the support. I'm pretty excited about it, in spite of the broken wires and slightly aching teeth right now.

Hey Kalyn! I have an award for you! Stop by and pick it up!I like the look of that soup! Good luck with the braces. I wore them when I was a kid, but not for long enough so my teeth could use some as well

Hi - I made this today and it was fabulous. I added the juice of one lemon (at the suggestion of one of the Epicurious reviewers) and some fresh lemon thyme from my garden and it was so good. Garnished with a dollop of Greek yogurt, some chives and parmesan cheese. Even my veggie hating husband loved it. Thanks1

I had braces before ibuprofen was invented, lol! Don't worry, everyone who's telling you it'll get better quickly is exactly correct. Pretty soon you'll be chomping on rawhide. Erm, not that I'm accusing you of cooking with rawhide or anything. Although if you did, I'm sure it would be very tasty like everything you make.

It must be painful and uncomfortable during the first weeks. Good on you for getting the braces. I am such a big fan of soup, and over here even though we are still officially in summer, the days have been rather wet over these last weeks, and the temperature has dropped a bit. Ideal for soups.

zucchini soup - if only i had that recipe three months ago when i was inundated with it in the garden - but then again, i'm a soup-in-the-winter-only person, so i suppose i could try it now with the second wave of zucchini!

I'm so happy you're taking the time to comment on Kalyn's Kitchen! I love hearing from people who stop by, especially if you're sharing feedback or asking questions about a recipe I've posted here.

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